The Lost and Hope Card
by BeaSakura
Summary: a new force was created by the mistress herself...ending up in a tragedy and plot twist...


*Faint piano background played by Touya-san. Tomoyo-chan's voice: "It's been only months since that tragic accident. It was terrible…horrible even. We could not even do something about it. As Eriol-kun had said, it was done. It was his time. But Sakura-chan will not hear of it. Because in her heart, she knew there was still hope. But everyone knows, time cannot change it…even her return card cannot change everything back to normal."  
  
"Good morning Chiharu, Naoko, Rika…!" Tomoyo greeted. She set her backpack on her chair and sighed wearily. She glanced at the empty seat beside her. "I wonder when Sakura-chan will come back to class?" Tomoyo asked herself. All of their classmates also had noticed the empty seat. Then everyone talks about the death of Syaoran Li.  
  
"She should come back to her senses…there's no point of holding on…" concluded Rika.  
  
"Don't say that…she'll come back to classes and start over again. I'm sure she wouldn't turn her back to her responsibilities." Chiharu said.  
  
Everyone sighed and went back to their seats as their homeroom teacher came in. Tomoyo groaned and muttered softly… "Please let her be alright…"  
  
At the Kinomoto house, there was a very heavy atmosphere. As though no one could drop a pin…but everyone there sense that air.  
  
"Sakura-chan, can I please come in?" Kero-chan asked. Touya-san also listened against the door. There was a faint sigh of resignation.  
  
"Okay, you can come in…" replied Sakura.  
  
Touya-san opened the door and Kero-chan came in. Both of them exchanged a weary glance and sat on Sakura's bed.  
  
"Are you alright, Sakura-chan?" Touya asked.  
  
"Yes. I'm fine. I'm just a little bit tired…" Sakura said softly. Her head was buried in her pillow. The Hope Card was on her nightstand.  
  
"Hmm…why did you bring out the Hope Card? Did it has anything to do with Syaoran-kun's…" Kero-chan stammered.  
  
"No. It was for me. I tried to think I was okay. That everything will be fine right?" Sakura sat up from the bed and looks at Kero-chan and Touya- san.  
  
"But I'm not. I'm not good in imagining and believing things. I don't even want to think that…that Syaoran-kun is up there looking below at us. I mean, why did he leave me? Was it worth his life?! Sakura tried to hold her tears. She stood up and went running downstairs.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Touya-san called out. But Sakura is already running towards the direction of Penguin Park.  
  
"Give her time. It is not easy for her to forget everything." Kero-chan said.  
  
Touya-san puts his hands on both pockets of his jeans and went downstairs, too. Kero-chan was left in Sakura's bedroom…thinking aloud.  
  
"Why did she use the Hope Card?" Kero-chan pondered.  
  
Outside, Sakura was running until a bike almost hit her.  
  
"I'm so sorry! It was my fault…I wasn't looking and…" Sakura stopped.  
  
Two soft eyes were looking at her thoughtfully.  
  
"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" asked Yukito.  
  
Sakura glared and tightened her fists. "Why does every time I cried for no reason…everyone ask the same question?!"  
  
Sakura continues to run towards the park. Yukito watches her ran away.  
  
Sakura started to ran out of steam. She slowed down and brushes her eyes with her arm. "I can take care of myself…I'm fifteen years old. I'm old enough to handle and control…" Sakura stops. Tear threatened to fall again. As she walks slowly towards the Penguin Park, she saw a memory upon the swing set.  
  
"You know Syaoran, when Yukito told me that he already liked somebody…I tried to hold back my tears because if I cried, he might get upset. I don't like Yukito to worry about me anymore. I should be happy, right?" Sakura had said as she swings back and forth slowly. Tears started to fall.  
  
Syaoran stood up and offered his handkerchief to Sakura. Sakura smiled a bit and stood up too.  
  
"But why am I still sad? Yukito said that I will find someone that I will love forever, and that he would love me too…" Sakura cried softly and laid her head to Syaoran's chest.  
  
"You will find him…someday when the time comes…" Syaoran had said.  
  
The memory had fade away…and an empty swing set was left.  
  
"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura muttered.  
  
The next day, Sakura had waked up earlier than her housemates. She cooked breakfast and ate without much enthusiasm. Kero-chan and Touya also wakes up finding the breakfast served, but Sakura had already left.  
  
"I wonder where she had gone yesterday?" asked Touya.  
  
"Wherever it was, Sakura seems to be in the mood to go to school now." Kero- chan concluded.  
  
At the school, everyone was happy for Sakura because she's back.  
  
"Sakura-chan, we missed you so much!" greeted Rika cheerfully.  
  
"Did you know that everyone always asks about you? We were all worried." Yamazaki said. Everyone was shocked to Yamazaki's comment. Then everyone had laughed.  
  
"Thanks very much for your concern everyone." Sakura looks at them. "But I'm back now, and I'm going to make-up for all the things that I missed."  
  
Tomoyo looks at her wearily. Sakura looks out the window. And everybody returns to their seats.  
  
"Finally! Break time!" Sakura says loudly. Everyone was eating at their usual picnic area outside the building.  
  
"I baked your favorite cookies, Sakura!" Rika said cheerfully.  
  
"Thanks very much, Rika-chan!" Sakura said.  
  
Everyone eats in silence. Then Chiharu spoke, "Why are we in this mood? We're suppose to be happy because Sakura-chan is back! And remember, we still have one thing to celebrate!" concluded Chiharu.  
  
"What?!" everyone asks in unison.  
  
Chiharu sweatdrops. "You guys have a really bad memory. Eriol-kun is coming back too! Isn't that great?!" Everyone nods and started to talk.  
  
Sakura lowered her head and spoke softly to Tomoyo. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
Tomoyo smiled a bit. "Well, I thought you were in no mood to talk, that's why I haven't talked about it to you yet."  
  
"But you haven't told your feelings to Eriol-kun yet?"  
  
"It's still not certain but…" Tomoyo looks at Sakura. Sakura knows that glossy eyes. It was the eyes of a girl in love. The same eyes she saw in her mirror. And the pain there never left. And she knew in her heart…it never will.  
  
Classes were dismissed. Yukito-san is waiting by the gates.  
  
"Looks like you have a visitor. Anyway, I'll call you up Sakura-chan." Tomoyo smiled knowingly. "Later!"  
  
"Later, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura looks at Yukito-san while saying goodbye to Tomoyo.  
  
"I owe you an apology, Yukito-san…" Sakura stammered.  
  
Yukito smiles. "You don't have to. Anyway, I picked you up because Eriol wants to see you. Can you come?" asks Yukito.  
  
"Sure." Sakura answered.  
  
Together they walk in silence. Finally, Yukito talks about why Eriol came back. But Sakura thought that Eriol came because of Syaoran's death. She wasn't sure why.  
  
Yukito changed into Yue as they entered the house. They were in the dining room having tea with Nakuru and Spinel Sun.  
  
"So, Sakura how's school? We heard that you came back to classes." Nakuru looks at Sakura and sighed. "I'll make another pot of tea. Yue-san, can you come with me?" Nakuru looks at Yue pointedly.  
  
"I don't know how to make tea…but maybe Yukito can." Yue changed into Yukito again and sweatdrops. Nakuru laughed and chatted with him as they left the room.  
  
Eriol smiled. "Sometimes, I like to see guardians happy with each other's companion." Sakura nodded and smiled a bit.  
  
"Why did you want me to come here? Is there something wrong again?" Sakura asks knowingly.  
  
"I just wanted to visit the mistress of cards, if it's alright with you." Eriol stood up and looks outside the window.  
  
Sakura looked on the opposite direction. "I'm fine, Eriol-kun. But I think it would be better if Tomoyo-chan came with me…because she hasn't heard from you a long time…" Sakura stammered.  
  
"That's not all what I've came here for."  
  
A soft breeze came into the dining room because of the open windows. There was a long and heavy pause between them. Eriol was still looking out the window. And Sakura's face had darkened.  
  
"Is it because of Syaoran-kun's…" Sakura spoke softly.  
  
"His death wasn't just an accident, Sakura-chan."  
  
"Please…let's not talk about this…"  
  
"You know it…that the strong force you felt was something else…"  
  
"It's not!!!" shouted Sakura.  
  
Yukito and Nakuru came in with Spinel Sun and were alarmed of Sakura's voice.  
  
"Is everything alright? Sakura-chan…? Nakuru asked.  
  
"Yes. We're fine. Except that Sakura-chan needs to face the truth sometimes." Eriol said.  
  
Tear started to fall on Sakura's face. "I don't care if that strong force was evil! I don't want to think that everything was…" Sakura paused and widens her eyes.  
  
"No…no…" Sakura buried her face in her hands. Nakuru and Yukito sat beside her.  
  
"Please don't tell me it's another Clow Card." Sakura asked.  
  
Eriol nodded. "It seems that your feelings blocked your senses that you haven't thought of another Clow Card."  
  
"But how did that happened? I thought the Void Card was the last Clow Card?  
  
"It may or it may not be a Clow Card…but maybe something else. Syaoran- kun's soul is at lost."  
  
Nakuru, Yukito, Spinel Sun and Sakura gasp. "A soul at lost?"  
  
"How did that happened?" asks Sakura.  
  
Syaoran's death is a cause of a force that took away his spirit…or more in terms…is his soul."  
  
The air that night seems to be heavy. Sakura went up to her room without a word and left Touya-san and Kero-chan confused.  
  
"She was pale when she came back from school." Touya said.  
  
"Hmm…I'll go check on her." Kero-chan replied.  
  
Touya glared. "Hey! Who's going to clean the dishes?!"  
  
Kero-chan had already flew to Sakura's room.  
  
Kero-chan softly opens the door and saw Sakura looking at the cards on her table.  
  
"I didn't know being a mistress of the cards can be so hard." Sakura said.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Kero-chan flys toward Sakura.  
  
Sakura sighed. "Syaoran-kun died because of some sort of power…his soul is at lost…"  
  
"What? What are you saying, Sakura-chan?"  
  
"Key of the Star, with powers burning bright, reveal the staff and shine your light. Release!" Sakura chanted.  
  
Sakura holds up the Hope Card and turned to Kero-chan. "Let's go back to where Syaoran-kun died."  
  
"What for, Sakura-chan?" asks Kero-chan.  
  
"To find answers. I don't want to believe Eriol-kun but I don't want to disbelieve him either."  
  
Kero-chan turned into Keroberos. "If for a peace of your mind, I'll come with you. But we need help first."  
  
Sakura-chan climbed on his back. "I know…let's go!"  
  
Eriol-kun sensed Sakura's power. "The star is destined to come back."  
  
"Do you think we should help them?" asks Nakuru.  
  
Eriol stood up and chanted. "I call upon the powers of the day and the night.  
  
Sun and darkness, unleash your might. Release!" And with that, he turned to Nakuru and Spinnel. "Now take on your celestial forms…RubyMoon, Spinnel Sun!"  
  
"But isn't Sakura-chan is suppose to face…it…alone?" asked RubyMoon.  
  
Eriol looks out the window. The moon is full but the clouds are gray. And the atmosphere is heavy, as though something is about to happen that night.  
  
"It is her destiny…as Mistress of the cards." Eriol replied.  
  
"…And I was hoping if you could drop me off to Sakura-chan's house, mother." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Oh I see. Is Sakura-chan okay now? Asks Mrs. Daidouji.  
  
"Yes. She was st school today. But I wanted to see if she's fully okay." Tomoyo replied.  
  
"Okay. I'll drop you off at Kinomoto house."  
  
At Kinomoto house, only Touya and Yukito was there. Tomoyo walks up the porch and Touya opens the door.  
  
"Tomoyo, have you seen Sakura?" Touya asks wearily.  
  
"Um…I was suppose to ask that." Tomoyo sweatdrops.  
  
"Tomoyo…this is serious…I came by to see her here but Touya and I went to her room and she's gone." Yukito said.  
  
"Um…where's Kero-chan…is he missing too?" asks Tomoyo.  
  
Touya and Yukito look at each other. "Keroberos!"  
  
Keroberos lands into the ground softly and Sakura hops off. The park was empty because it was already late.  
  
"I'm sensing something but I can't describe it." Sakura said.  
  
Keroberos feels around the park using his aura. "Maybe Eriol was right."  
  
A soft breeze pasts Sakura and Keroberos. The temperature had dropped and it was getting chilly.  
  
"How am I suppose to see or look for it?" Sakura whines.  
  
"You have to concentrate, Sakura-chan." Eriol replied from the shadows with RubyMoon and Spinnel Sun.  
  
"Oh Eriol-kun! You're here!"Sakura was surprised. Sakura and Keroberos runs towards them.  
  
"Keroberos, you are to stay. Sakura must face this alone." Eriol said.  
  
"But…I'm suppose to protect my mistress!" Keroberos argued.  
  
Spinnel Sun steps forward. "We know that…but she will not appear if you are disturbing them."  
  
Sakura frowns. "What do you mean?"  
  
A small laughter interrupts their conversation. Everyone gasp and look around the park.  
  
"Ah yes, the mistress of the cards is finally here. Did my spell had finally wore off then? A mean voice had said.  
  
"What? Who are you? Where are you?" asks Sakura.  
  
"They call me Psyche. For I am the soul." Replied the girl with long hair, exact color of Sakura's hair. And the face of a matured Sakura.  
  
Everyone saw it…and was shocked.  
  
"She looks like Sakura-chan!" RubyMoon yelled.  
  
Psyche laughs. "Of course I look like her. I'm suppose to be like her…because I am part of the lost Sakura Kinomoto.  
  
Everyone gasps.  
  
"The lost me? I'm confused." Sakura stammers.  
  
"Of course you are. I cast a spell on you so that you won't remember what happened to…your boyfriend's death." Psyche finished mockingly.  
  
"Stop it!" Sakura yells. "You have no right to say that!"  
  
Sakura calls out, "Windy card! Release and dispel!"  
  
Windy went to Psyche but she only raised her hand and the wind had vanished.  
  
"Don't you want to know what happened to Syaoran?" Psyche asks.  
  
While Sakura is facing Psyche, Touya, Yukito, and Tomoyo came to the scene. Yukito spreads his wings and formed into Yue.  
  
"Is that two Sakura's? Tomoyo asks.  
  
Eriol looks at them. "Do not interfere. This is her battle which she must face."  
  
"I don't understand. Why this force was created?" Yue asks.  
  
RubyMoon folds her arms and frowns. Spinnel Sun just lowered his head.  
  
Yue and Touya looks at Sakura. Sakura was glaring at Psyche. "That can't be Sakura-chan…I've never seen her so angry." Touya shakes his head.  
  
Touya runs towards Sakura but a barrier was set up and Touya was flown back. Yue and Tomoyo runs toward him. "Touya-san!"  
  
Touya rubs his head. "Argh…I can't reach to her…" Yue and Tomoyo help him up and looked at Sakura.  
  
Sakura grips her wand tight. Psyche just floated around her. "Don't you see? You created me…and so, it's all your fault why Syaoran had died…" Psyche concluded.  
  
Everybody gasps. Sakura-chan yells, "No!!!"  
  
[Flashback]  
  
"It's such a pity that the Penguin Park is gone now." Sakura said.  
  
Syaoran smiles. "That's okay. At least you're not."  
  
Sakura blushes. They sat on the bench and look up in the sky. The sky was clear…but the wind was light. Everything seemed normal that day.  
  
"If I could be in the last place on earth, I'd choose here beside you, Sakura-chan." Syaoran spoke softly.  
  
"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura stammered.  
  
[End of flashback]  
  
Sakura shakes her head and focuses on Psyche. Psyche smiled evily. "You were confused back then…because in your heart you were afraid. You're lost like an innocent child."  
  
A white thunder erupts from Psyche's hands. "It's time to play, little Sakura." Psyche raises her hands and chanted, "Dark illusion, release!"  
  
A white flash blinded everyone by surprise. As the light fades, Sakura is already gone. And everyone tried to focus their eyes clearly.  
  
"Where's Sakura-chan?" Everyody said in unison.  
  
Sakura holds her sealing wand tightly…and as the blinding light fades, she slowly opened her eyes. "Huh? The Penguin Park? It can't be…" Sakura stammered.  
  
Psyche appears. "This is where we shall begin our game. Make sure you will amuse me, Sakura."  
  
"Jump card!" Sakura releases her card and avoided Psyche's lightning attacks. Psyche also has wind and water attacks, and each time she uses it, it was much stronger than Sakura's elemental cards.  
  
"Dash card!" Sakura runs outside the park and into the sidewalk. Not knowing where to go, Sakura felt alone and wanted to see her friends. Psyche is only floating slowly to where Sakura was headed.  
  
But when they reached a cemetery, Sakura wonders how she got there. Psyche blasted her side with lightning, leaving no choice, Sakura went inside the cemetery.  
  
Psyche laughs and said, "What a wonderful place for you to play with me, Sakura!" Psyche charges up and blasted Sakura.  
  
"Shield card!" Sakura was trying to hold it up but Psyche was much powerful. Being tossed up to the center of the cemetery, Sakura struggles up. An angel statue blocked her from being thrown away.  
  
Sakura whispers softly, "Why did I chose here?" Gripping her sealing wand tightly, she knows that fighting Psyche is nonsense. And she also knows that she can't defeat her. "I have to try!" Sakura concluded.  
  
Sakura pulls out her Light card. But she knew there was no way she can release this without Yue and Keroberos.  
  
Meanwhile, everyone was running and was looking for Sakura. Yue and Keroberos stopped. "What is it?" Eriol-kun asks.  
  
"Sakura-chan is trying to release the Light card." Yue said.  
  
"Do you think she can do it on her own?" asks Eriol-kun.  
  
Yue and Keroberos only lower their heads. Touya glares at them, "We have to find her fast!"  
  
"Yue, Keroberos, find her to where you can sense her. RubyMoon, Spinnel Sun, we are to head out to possible places Psyche can carry her to." Everyone nods, Tomoyo and Touya follows Yue and Keroberos.  
  
"I know they'll be coming for me!" Sakura yells.  
  
"Hmm…I suppose they are, but how long can you hold up?" Psyche asks.  
  
Sakura is starting to be frightened. If she can't defeat Psyche, more souls would be at lost…and more people will die. "Who created you?! Eriol or Clow Reed will never create a card that will harm people!"  
  
Psyche laughs evilly again. "I was created out of nothing! And the more your feelings explode, the more powerful I can ever be!"  
  
Psyche stops laughing…and spoke softly, "And because of you, I was born."  
  
Sakura begins to cry and spoke softly, "Because of you, the one that I ever love had died. How could you do such a thing? And you said you were the soul…don't you ever cared about their souls?" Sakura pointed at the graves.  
  
"Ha! You should talk. Why can't you even admit that you still love someone else? That's why you were confused. And out of that confusion, the love card was created. But inside your soul, I was born. You never knew that, didn't you? Psyche asks.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sakura sobbed.  
  
Psyche pulls out a wand and pointed it to Sakura. "You are confused! At lost! Because inside your heart, you still love Yukito Tsukishiro!"  
  
Sakura gasps. And as Yue and Keroberos found them, they heard everything. Yue looks at Sakura. She looks at Yue and Keroberos in dismay.  
  
Sakura lowers her wand. "You're right. Everything was okay when Syaoran and I captured the Void card and turned it into Hope card. " Sakura placed her hand on her chest. "But that confusion never left my soul. Every night, I could never sleep easily."  
  
Sakura looks up at Psyche, "But I would never let you do it again! Not to Syaoran, not to everyone else!" Sakura raises her sealing wand. "…Even if it costs my own life!"  
  
Yue and Keroberos gasped. "Sakura, no!" But a force shield was blocking their way. They couldn't stop Sakura. After a few minutes, Eriol, RubyMoon, Spinnel Sun, Tomoyo and Touya arrive.  
  
Eriol spoke, "Sakura created Psyche. She is the only one who could undo it."  
  
Tomoyo puts her hand on her mouth and sobbed. Eriol comforted her.  
  
"What would happen to her if she can't do it?" Tomoyo asks.  
  
Everyone looked at Sakura. Sakura's aura is weak. Only Eriol and the guardians could see it.  
  
Sakura takes out all of her cards. She kisses them and whispered, "Please help me."  
  
Sakura throws them up and yelled, "For my sake and for the others!" (A flashback of her friends, Yamazaki and Chiharu, Tomoyo and Eriol, Touya, Yue, Yukito and Kero-chan…Fujitaka and Nadeshiko.)  
  
"Sakura cards!" Sakura called out. A white flash erupts as she releases all of her cards. Everyone was shocked. Even Psyche was shocked because she could not believe that Sakura can call out all of her cards.  
  
Psyche created a shield around herself. But Sakura's cards were more powerful now that they've been all released. "No!"  
  
Psyche drops unto the ground. Sakura falls unto her knees…and felt weak.  
  
"Sakura!" Everyone calls out.  
  
Then Sakura raises her head and saw that she was kneeling on Syaoran's grave. "Syaoran-kun…" Sakura cries softly.  
  
Psyche was also crying. And everyone watches in silence.  
  
"You really do love him…but too late isn't it?!" Psyche cried out. "Too late to realize it!"  
  
Sakura pulls out her Hope card. "Come back to me Psyche. You're a part of me. Part of me that loved Yukito-san." Sakura turns to Psyche and cried softly.  
  
"No! I am the soul!"  
  
"You're the one who's lost, Psyche."  
  
"And the only thing that could bring me back…is by taking your soul away." Psyche said.  
  
Sakura nods. "Hope card! Release and dispel!"  
  
Psyche stood up and hugs herself. "Lost soul…"  
  
Everyone was crying out. But Sakura smiled at them, "Bring hope to everyone who was lost…"  
  
Sakura's sealing wand charges up and changed form. And as the blinding light fades, Sakura slowly kneeled unto Syaoran's grave. She slowly whispers, "I love you…" Sakura fainted. Two cards fell unto her.  
  
The force shield was gone. Touya, Yue and Keroberos runs toward Sakura. Eriol, Tomoyo, RubyMoon and Spinnel Sun follows.  
  
"Sakura-chan! Please be with us now!" Yue and Touya cried out. RubyMoon gasps. It was the first time that Yue had expressed his feelings.  
  
"The Hope and Lost card…two cards were created to bring balance…" Sakura muttered.  
  
Eriol nods. "But because of that, your soul is too weak to handle it by yourself."  
  
Sakura slowly closes her eyes. "But I can't bring him back…"  
  
Tomoyogasps and pointed at Syaoran's grave. "Look! Syaoran's name is fading!"  
  
Everybody turns and look at the grave. There was no name written on it. And a shadow slowly walking towards them.  
  
Sakura slowly stood up. "Is this a dream?"  
  
Tomoyo sobbed again but was smiling…Eriol holds her hand and nods.  
  
"Sakura-chan…" Syaoran called out.  
  
Sakura pushes away her tears and runs towards Syaoran.  
  
The next day…  
  
"Hoe! A double date? Does this means…? Sakura asks. Sakura is talking to Tomoyo on the phone.  
  
It was the first time that the people in the house heard her laughing. It was like nothing had happened. It was really strange though, people didn't even know Syaoran-kun had died. It seems as if everyone had been under a spell, and they've known nothing at all.  
  
Eriol-kun and Tomoyo had been dating each other. Touya-san is still worried for Sakura. Yukito-san felt guilty knowing that he was still loved by Sakura. But nevertheless, Sakura is happy and contented to be with Syaoran.  
  
And on her desk, lay two Sakura cards…the Hope card, and the Lost card. Powers that will be balanced and sealed for the meantime…  
  
But the Lost card is still mysterious and unknown for its power and use…  
  
~THE END~ 


End file.
